In-die hydropiercing apparatus with prepiercing adjustment

A plurality of in-die hydropiercing apparatuses each comprising a die button adapted to be mounted in a hydroforming die, a backup plunger received in said die button having an end adapted to be positioned in at least (1) a hydroforming position during hydroforming of a part with hydroforming fluid under pressure and (2) a retracted prepiercing position for prepiercing of the part with the hydroforming pressure in the part and (3) a further retracted piercing position for piercing the part with the hydroforming pressure in the part and (4) a slug ejecting position allowing for ejection of a slug deposited on to the end of the backup plunger resulting from piercing of the part, plunger actuating means for moving said plunger to said positions, cam means for determining the positioning of said plunger in said prepiercing position and said slug ejecting position, cam actuating means including adjusting means for actuating said cam means to position and hold said plunger in said prepiercing position independent of said plunger actuating means and to also adjust said prepiercing position, and wherein the cam means in said apparatuses are adapted to be simultaneously moved from a plunger prepiercing determining position directly to a plunger piercing determining position thereby allowing simultaneous movement of the plungers in said apparatuses from their said prepiercing position to their said piercing position.

A plurality of in-die hydropiercing apparatuses each comprising a die button adapted to be mounted in a hydroforming die, a backup plunger received in said die button having an end adapted to be positioned in at least (1) a Hydroforming position flush with an outer surface of said die button during hydroforming of a part with hydroforming fluid under pressure and (2) a retracted prepiercing position in said die button for prepiercing of the part with the hydroforming pressure in the part and (3) a further retracted piercing position in said die button for piercing the part with the hydroforming pressure in the part and (4) a further retracted slug ejecting position outside said die button, plunger actuating means for moving said plunger to said positions, cam means for determining the positioning of said plunger in said prepiercing position and said slug ejecting position, cam actuating means including adjusting means for actuating said cam means to position and hold said plunger in said prepiercing position independent of said plunger actuating means and to also adjust said prepiercing position, and wherein the cam means in said apparatuses are adapted to be simultaneously moved from a plunger prepiercing determining position directly to a plunger slug ejection determining position thereby allowing simultaneous movement of the plungers in said apparatuses from their said prepiercing position through their said piercing position to their said slug ejecting position.